Fresh batch of 1,703 Amarnath pilgrims leaves Jammu for holy shrine

Jammu, June 22 (ANI): A fresh batch of 1,703 pilgrims left Jammu on Monday for their onward journey to the holy Amarnath cave shrine.

The batch comprising of 1,185 men, 384 women, 61 children and 73 sadhus left in 53 vehicles, including 40 buses, from the base camp at Bhagwati Nagar here at around 4. 50 a.m.

With today's batch, a total of 7,793 pilgrims have left Jammu for the Shrine since the beginning of the Yatra on June 15.

The yatra remained suspended for three days due to bad weather prevailing in Kashmir valley before resuming on June 19.

The Jammu and Kashmir Government and the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) has set up three base camps at Bhagwati Nagar in Jammu, Nunwan in Pahalgam and Baltal for providing food and lodging facilities to pilgrims.

Located in Jammu and Kashmir, the Amarnath caves shrine is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Last year, over 450,000 pilgrims visited the cave. The two month long pilgrimage will conclude on August 5. (ANI)